Extractive industries
Singapore’s data mirrors UN’s in Cambodia’s sand export numbers
Singaporean customs data on sand imports from Cambodia show near identical figures to those recorded by the UN, which last month were dismissed by a top official amid a reporting discrepancy in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The UN data showed $752 million in imports ...
Production slowing at Wa Tin mine
Output from a mysterious Myanma tin mine that has disrupted the global market in the metal is falling sharply and deposits could be depleted in “two to three years,” senior mine officials told Reuters. A surprise discovery of large quantities of tin has propelled the formerly ...
Giant jade stone uncovered in Kachin State
A giant jade stone estimated to weigh 210 tons was uncovered in the jade mining hub of Hpakant in Kachin State last week and is now being guarded by police. “We can say it is the largest piece of jade ever unearthed in Myanmar,” confirmed U ...
Safety at coal mines comes under scrutiny
Up to 15 serious labour safety violations at coal mines in northern Quang Ninh Province were reported in the first nine months of this year, leaving 18 people dead and injuring dozens more, Lao Dong newspaper reported. In August alone, there were five incidents, leaving six ...
Formosa Plastics taps India, Southeast Asia for growth
Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics, the island’s largest maker of key plastic materials, on Tuesday said it wanted to aggressively expand in India, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Africa to lower its dependence on China, which has been mired in a prolonged supply glut. “We are aiming to ...
US gems association eyes trade ties as sanctions end
The American Gem Trade Association arrived in Myanmar for the first time this week to assess the gems sector and build trade relationships ahead of an anticipated end to the US sanctions regime, which would allow the legal import of Myanmar rubies and jade. The association’s ...
Gov’t scoops up more mining revenue
In the first eight months of the year the Ministry of Mines and Energy has already surpassed its annual target for non-tax revenue collection from sand dredging and construction material-related mining operations, collecting 117 percent of the $6.6 million outlined in the 2016 national budget, ...
Thermal power plants increasing on Hau River
Why are coal-run thermopower plants located on the Hau River? Why do the plants all use Chinese technology? Will there be another Formosa on the Hau River? These are questions raised by environmental experts about the appearance of many coal power plants believed to threaten the ...
Protesters told not to behave ‘lawlessly’
Villagers have been reprimanded over an unsanctioned protest staged outside the Mandalay Region government’s office last week. The Thabeikkyin township residents were seeking a meeting with the chief minister over gold mines they allege have encroached on village territory over the last few years with ...
Dredging figures do not add up
Transparency and environmental groups are calling on the Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate potential smuggling in the sand-dredging industry after a gaping $750 million discrepancy was discovered between Cambodia’s documented sand exports and Singapore’s imports. On the UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database, Cambodia reported exporting $5.5 million ...
